Wheel-setting mechanism for harvesters.



0. R. HERPEL. WHEEL SETTING MECHANISM FOR HARVESTBRS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1912. 1,075,148. 7 Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co wAsmwu'rofl u. C.

G. R. HERPBL.

WHEEL SETTING MECHANISM FOR HARVBSTERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4. 1912. 1,075 148 Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH COUWASHAMTON. n. c

CARL RINI-IOLD HERPEL, OF NEWIBUBG, INDIANA.

WHEEL'SETTING MECHANISM FOR HARVESTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. '7 1913.

Application filed June 4, 1912. Serial No. 701,527.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CARL R. HERPEL, citizenof the United States, residing at Newburg, in the county of WVarrick andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWVheel Setting Mechanism for Harvesters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to devices for setting the wheels of grainseparators and like machinery, to level the machine after being placedpreliminary to operation thereof.

Heretofore in setting threshing machines, saw mills and the like, of aportable nature, it has been necessary to block up some of the wheels inorder to level the machine for the most efficient operation thereof, andmy invention has for its object the provision of means for adjusting thewheels of a threshing machine and other machinery of a like type, bywhich the inequalities of the ground may be overcome by setting thewheels relatively to the body of the machine to insure a leveladjustment thereof.

My invention will be described in detail hereinafter and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of one side of the front running gear of atraction engine constructed in accordance with my invention and havingthe wheel setting mechanism mounted thereon; Fig. 2, a cross section ofthe wheel setting mechanism, showing the wheel and part of the gearingin elevation; Fig. 3, a side view of the running gear and wheel settingmechanism; and Fig. 4, a view of the other side of said wheel settingmechanism.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designatecorresponding parts in the several views.

In Fig. 1 is shown a plan view of a fragment of the running gear for thefront of a traction wheel having the beams 1 that extend crosswise underthe machine and connected by means of the cross bars 2 and alongitudinal bar 3 connecting said cross bars. The cross bar 3 is formedwith an opening to receive a king pin 4 to pivotally secure the runninggear to the threshing machine. Each end of the bars 1 are connected bymeans of cross bars 5, 6, 1t being understood that the other ends of thebars not shown in the drawin s, have mounted thereon a constructionsimilar to the construction shown in Fig. 1. The bars 5 and 6 are eachprovided intermediate of their ends with inverted U-shaped structuresdesignated 7 and 8 respectively, having one of the legs of the U-shapedstructure formed with rack teeth designated 7 and 8 respectively.

9 indicates a stub shaft having its ends formed rectangular in crosssection as clearly shown in the drawings, and having pinions 10 and 11mounted on said rectangular portions and meshing with the racks 7 and 8respectively. The untoothed interior sides of the U-shaped structures 7and 8 loosely engage the pinions 10 and 11, thus holding them in meshwith the racks 7 and 8*, respectively. The portion of the shaft 9between the pinions l0 and 11 is formed circular in cross section asshown at 9 and on said circular portion of the shaft is journaled atraction wheel 12.

13 designates a pinion mounted on the outer end of the shaft 9 androtating there with and 14 designates a lever having one of its endsbifurcated to inclose said pinion 13 as shown at 15, said bifurcatedends of the lever being provided with longitudinal slots 16 thatslidably engage the shaft 9- 17 indicates a lug or projection extendingfrom the lever 14 between the arms 15 of the bifurcated portion andadapted to en gage the teeth of the pinion- 13 when the lever 14 ismoved toward said pinion and operating to turn said pinion 13 and withit the shaft 9 when it is desired to adjust the height of the shaftrelative to the running gear heretofore described.

Secured to the cross bar 6 is a plate 18 having a slot 19 therein toreceive the shaft 9 and to permit vertical movement of the shafttherein.

20 and 21 indicate ratchet wheels secured to the shaft 9 adjacent to theplate 18 and have their teeth extending in opposite clirections asshown.

22 indicates a V gravity pawl pivotally mounted on the plate 18 andengaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel 20, and 23 indicates a gravitypawl also pivotally mounted on the plate 18 and engaging the teeth ofthe ratchet wheel 21. It will be apparent that when the pawls 22 and 23are in en gagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheels 20 and 21respectively, that the shaft 9 will be effectually held from rotationand the traction wheel 12 will be held immov able in a verticaldirection relative to the running gear, but said traction wheel mayobviously turn on the shaft 9, being journaled on the circular portion 9as heretofore described.

It will be apparent that when the device is in the position shown in thedrawings that the threshing machine or other like device on which myinvention may be mounted, may be transported from place to place.

When the machine is set up for operation, should it be found necessaryto adjust the wheels thereof to overcome inequalities of the ground onwhich it may be placed, the shaft 9 may be moved vertically relative tothe running gear by releasing the pawl 22 from the ratchet wheel 20 ifit is desired to raise one side of the traction wheel to permit rotationof the shaft by means of the lever 14 engaging the pinion 13 asheretofore described. It will be apparent that when raising thethreshing machine or other device, the lever 14 is swung upwardly andthen moved inwardly toward the pinion 13 to permit the lug 17 to engagethe teeth thereof and while in engagement with the pinion, the lever isagain swung clownwardly, thus rotating the shaft 9 and through theengagement of the pinions l0 and 11 with the gear racks 7 and 8 causethe shaft to proceed downwardly relatively to the running gear and inthis manner, raise the side of the machine. IVhen the machine isadjusted sufficiently, the pawl 22 is thrown over into engagement withthe ratchet wheel 20 and the shaft 9 will be held from rotation. Shouldit be desired to lower the side of the machine, the pawl 23 is releasedfrom engagement with the ratchet wheel 21 and an operation opposite tothat above described, will cause the shaft 9 to proceed upwardlyrelatively to the running gear and permit the side of the machine to belowered.

While my device would work very well on light machinery when only one ofthe U- shaped structures was employed, I find that the use of twoU-shaped structures, as heretofore described, is necessary in connectionwith heavy machinery, in order that the shaft 9 will move easily in avertical direction, without tending to turn in a vertical plane.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a running gearfor vehicles, a traction wheel, a stub axle upon which said wheel isjournaled, a vertical rack bar, a pinion rigid with said axle andadapted for engagement with the rack bar, and means for rotating saidaxle, whereby the same may be raised or lowered with respect to saidrack bar.

2. In a running gear of the character described, a traction wheel, astub axle upon which said wheel is journaled, a pinion rigid with saidaxle, a rack bar engaged by said pinion, means for rotating the axle,whereby the same may be raised and lowered with respect to said rackbar, and means for locking the axle against rotation.

3. In a device of the character described, a running gear for wheeledvehicles having spaced-apart bars, inverted U-shaped per tionsintermediate of their ends, one of the legs of each of said U-shapedportions provided with a rack bar, a stub shaft, gear pinions secured tosaid stub shaft and meshing with said rack bars, a traction wheeljournaled on said stub shaft, and means to rotate said shaft to adjustit relatively to said cross bars. 7

4. In a device of the character described, a running gear for wheeledvehicles, bars spaced apart, inverted U-shaped portions in said barsintermediate of their ends, one of the legs of each of said U-shapedportions being provided with a rack bar, a stub shaft, pinions securedto said stub shaft and meshing with said rack bars, the traction wheeljournaled on said stub shaft, a pinion secured to said stub shaft, alever having one of its ends bifurcated and the arms thereof formed withlongitudinal slots slidably engaging the stub shaft, said arms of thebifurcated portion inclosing the last mentioned pinion, a lug extendingfrom said lever between the arms of the bifurcated portion and adaptedto engage between the teeth of said pinion, ratchet wheels secured tosaid stub shaft, the teeth of said ratchet wheels pointing in oppositedirections, and pawls engaging said ratchet wheels.

5. In a device of the character described,a frame, traction wheelssupporting the same, stub axles upon which said traction wheels arejournaled, vertical rack bars rigid with the frame, pinions rigid withsaid axles, means for holding the pinions in engagement with the rackbars, levers for rotating said axles, and means for locking the axlesagainst rotation.

6. A running gear of the character described, including a frame,traction wheels, stub axles upon which said traction wheels arejournaled, U-shaped members rigid with the frame, each of said U-shapedmembers being formed along one leg with teeth, pinions rigid with theaxles and adapted to mesh with said teeth, additional pinions pinions inengagement with the rack bars, an In testimony whereof I affix mysignature additional pinion also rigid with said axle, in presence oftwo witnesses.

a lever carried by the axle and adapted to be moved into engagement withsaid last men- CARL RINHOLD tioned pinion whereby the axle may beWitnesses:

rotated, and means for locking said axle HELEN MCCUTOHEON, againstrotation. JAMES T. WALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, D. G.

